So a our group is starting a new campaign based on our DM's homebrew world, which we are all helping fill out with a few fun concepts that could potentially fit in the world. Currently it is shaping out to be closer in feel to Wildemount or Pathfinder than classic DnD, but not quite as advanced or industrial-magic as ebberon. With that in mind, I have cleared with the DM using the Critical Role gunslinger subclass as it is has a weird psedo-official status. Paired with the subclass is a slightly modified version of Kalashtar race, which keeps the stats and racial feats. The only thing modified is the built-in backstory of Light vs Dark spirits inhabiting a chosen few who draw on the spirit's power to fight the other side - the change is that the spirits take a more active role and gradually bond with their host, allowing them to draw more power and wisdom, but also twisting them into living weapons and tools to influence the mortal world. The light tends to be good and more active with the ulitmate goal of seeing mortals be the best they can be, while the dark spirits tend to be more subtle, insidious, and with the ultimate goal of infesting every living creature and plunging the world into violence, decay, hate, and darkness. Classic tropes, nothing groundbreaking here.
With that in mind as a justification for having a gunslinger in essentially a fantasy+ world, we circle back to mechanics of the subclass: While i really enjoy the flavor of having essentially a "mysterious paladin fighting a secret war of good and evil with weapons not seen before", it seems not incredibly.... good? Utility is very similar to that of the Battlemaster, with trickshots(moves) being fueled by essentially your usual #of-tokens-based-on-X-modifier mechanic. My primary question here is:Is the misfire mechanic necessary? What would happen if it was removed? Are the guns that powerful that they need essentially a 1-in10 chance of breaking, possibly for good?
-It seems to me like the main flavor is essentially 1)Fighter stuff (heavy armor, access to all weapons, multiple attacks) 2) Guns (cool, but not much better than bows) 3) Spend up to 5 tokens/ day to do something cool, like get advantage, shoot the guy behind the guy you're shooting, etc.
That's all good, i really like the flavor, but it seems to me like once you get past 3rd level, the tools you get as you level up are VERY few and far between, and the actually useful ones only kick in at levels 7(stow and draw another gun as one action) and 18(crits and a token refund on 19 and 20). Compared to the other fighter subclasses, Is the Gunslinger roughly comparable, or does it need something else to set it apart? What could be added or changed to make it worth playing?
Many of the firearms on the list are quite a bit better than bows. A revolver is a one-handed weapon that does 2d8. Hand mortars explode and damage adjacent creatures. The downsides are supposed to balance that out a bit. The power of the gunslinger is directly related to what weapons the DM decides are available.
Personally, I'd like to see the guns toned down a bit but give gunslinger more abilities and options that do cool stuff. I agree that as written it feels kind of boring.
Many of the firearms on the list are quite a bit better than bows. A revolver is a one-handed weapon that does 2d8. Hand mortars explode and damage adjacent creatures. The downsides are supposed to balance that out a bit. The power of the gunslinger is directly related to what weapons the DM decides are available.
Personally, I'd like to see the guns toned down a bit but give gunslinger more abilities and options that do cool stuff. I agree that as written it feels kind of boring.
The OP is talking about the guns listed under the Gunslinger class, not the ones in the DMG.
The misfire mechanic was added to balance out the potential damage the Gunslinger is able to output. It also reflected that, at the time, there was only one Gunslinger in the world, Percy, and all the guns were based off his inventions.
As for the abilities of the class, I've played a Gunslinger to level 8 and he lead the party in kills and damage. In one of my Avernus campaigns someone is playing a Gunslinger and she is outshining every other character at the table. In all honestly, it's a basic class, but it does what a Fighter is supposed to do, wreck shop.
So a our group is starting a new campaign based on our DM's homebrew world, which we are all helping fill out with a few fun concepts that could potentially fit in the world. Currently it is shaping out to be closer in feel to Wildemount or Pathfinder than classic DnD, but not quite as advanced or industrial-magic as ebberon. With that in mind, I have cleared with the DM using the Critical Role gunslinger subclass as it is has a weird psedo-official status. Paired with the subclass is a slightly modified version of Kalashtar race, which keeps the stats and racial feats. The only thing modified is the built-in backstory of Light vs Dark spirits inhabiting a chosen few who draw on the spirit's power to fight the other side - the change is that the spirits take a more active role and gradually bond with their host, allowing them to draw more power and wisdom, but also twisting them into living weapons and tools to influence the mortal world. The light tends to be good and more active with the ulitmate goal of seeing mortals be the best they can be, while the dark spirits tend to be more subtle, insidious, and with the ultimate goal of infesting every living creature and plunging the world into violence, decay, hate, and darkness. Classic tropes, nothing groundbreaking here.
With that in mind as a justification for having a gunslinger in essentially a fantasy+ world, we circle back to mechanics of the subclass: While i really enjoy the flavor of having essentially a "mysterious paladin fighting a secret war of good and evil with weapons not seen before", it seems not incredibly.... good? Utility is very similar to that of the Battlemaster, with trickshots(moves) being fueled by essentially your usual #of-tokens-based-on-X-modifier mechanic. My primary question here is: Is the misfire mechanic necessary? What would happen if it was removed? Are the guns that powerful that they need essentially a 1-in10 chance of breaking, possibly for good?
-It seems to me like the main flavor is essentially 1)Fighter stuff (heavy armor, access to all weapons, multiple attacks) 2) Guns (cool, but not much better than bows) 3) Spend up to 5 tokens/ day to do something cool, like get advantage, shoot the guy behind the guy you're shooting, etc.
That's all good, i really like the flavor, but it seems to me like once you get past 3rd level, the tools you get as you level up are VERY few and far between, and the actually useful ones only kick in at levels 7(stow and draw another gun as one action) and 18(crits and a token refund on 19 and 20). Compared to the other fighter subclasses, Is the Gunslinger roughly comparable, or does it need something else to set it apart? What could be added or changed to make it worth playing?
Many of the firearms on the list are quite a bit better than bows. A revolver is a one-handed weapon that does 2d8. Hand mortars explode and damage adjacent creatures. The downsides are supposed to balance that out a bit. The power of the gunslinger is directly related to what weapons the DM decides are available.
Personally, I'd like to see the guns toned down a bit but give gunslinger more abilities and options that do cool stuff. I agree that as written it feels kind of boring.
My homebrew subclasses (full list here)
(Artificer) Swordmage | Glasswright | (Barbarian) Path of the Savage Embrace
(Bard) College of Dance | (Fighter) Warlord | Cannoneer
(Monk) Way of the Elements | (Ranger) Blade Dancer
(Rogue) DaggerMaster | Inquisitor | (Sorcerer) Riftwalker | Spellfist
(Warlock) The Swarm
The OP is talking about the guns listed under the Gunslinger class, not the ones in the DMG.
The misfire mechanic was added to balance out the potential damage the Gunslinger is able to output. It also reflected that, at the time, there was only one Gunslinger in the world, Percy, and all the guns were based off his inventions.
As for the abilities of the class, I've played a Gunslinger to level 8 and he lead the party in kills and damage. In one of my Avernus campaigns someone is playing a Gunslinger and she is outshining every other character at the table. In all honestly, it's a basic class, but it does what a Fighter is supposed to do, wreck shop.